Ferrari race report: Charles Leclerc P2, Carlos Sainz P4 | 2022 F1 Abu Dhabi GP

20/11/2022 16:32

The scene was ready for the final round of the 2022 Formula 1 season, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which was held over 58 laps of the 5.281-kilometre Yas Marina Circuit on Yas Island, the UAE’s most epic motorsports venue, known worldwide for being a great track for racing action and an even better track to be a spectator.

Nearly the whole grid were in unison on the tyre choices for the start of this event, picking the medium tyres, including Scuderia Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, who started the race from P3 and P4. Every driver was on the medium compound apart from Kevin Magnussen, Pierre Gasly and Valtteri Bottas in 16th, 17th and 18th. Pierre Gasly had the soft tyres fitted, the other two with the hards. The formation lap was under way, and we were just moments away from lights out for the final time in 2022!

Max Verstappen held holds off Sergio Perez into Turn 1 despite the Mexican getting the better start! Lewis Hamilton got past Carlos Sainz at the start, but as they battled later on the first lap, the Mercedes cut the corner and came back onto the track ahead of Carlos Sainz. The incident was under investigation by the stewards. Not the best start for the other Silver Arrow though, with Lando Norris getting ahead of George Russell for sixth place. Charles Leclerc kept his third behind the Red Bulls despite having a look down the inside of Sergio Perez on the opening lap.

The stewards cleared Carlos Sainz for his move on Hamilton on the first lap, but Hamilton was still investigated for running over the rumbling strips after that attempted move by the Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton was adjudged to have gained an advantage from leaving the track in that incident with the Spaniard, and gave the place back to the Ferrari. He was immediately right back on the tail of the Ferrari: the British driver used DRS to retake fourth from Carlos, and was about closing down Charles Leclerc in third.

However, Lewis Hamilton appeared to be struggling: he was unable to get away from Carlos and the Spaniard retook fourth place with the aid of DRS. Then the following lap, Hamilton’s Mercedes team-mate George Russell eased past him.

Show your support for Scuderia Ferrari with official merchandise collection! Click here to enter the F1 online Store and shop securely!And also get your F1 tickets for every race with VIP hospitality and unparalleled insider access. Click here for the best offers to support Charles and Carlos from the track!

Sebastian Vettel appeared to be enjoying the final race of his Formula 1 career: the German was giving it everything to get past Esteban Ocon for eighth, but was narrowly denied on a couple of occasions. As a result, Ocon’s Alpine team-mate Fernando Alonso was cruising up behind Vettel. Sergio Perez and George Russell came in from second and fourth, respectively. The Mercedes man suffered a slow stop of about five seconds, which left him exposed to team-mate Lewis Hamilton. The Mexican came out behind Vettel and quickly overtook the Aston Martin, but then went wide into the chicane and was re-overtaken by Seb! He was stuck behind Vettel for a lap before getting ahead again, and that delay didn’t help his race against Charles at all.

Carlos Sainz made his first pit stop and was then fighting his way back through the traffic: He passed his Spanish hero-turned-friend Fernando Alonso for fifth position and then the Aston Martin of Sebastian Vettel.

It was then the leader’s turn to stop. Max Verstappen came in, and after a slightly tardy 3.4s stop, emerged just in front of team-mate Sergio Perez, while Charles Leclerc briefly took the lead, but he was on his way into the pits. Charles came out of the pits just in front of his team-mate, but Carlos kept his position and confirmed he would not attack Charles, who was six seconds behind Sergio Perez, as the Mexican clearly held the upper hand at that stage in the battle for second in the drivers’ championship.

Charles Leclerc was moving in on P2 rival Sergio Perez: the Ferrari man set in a fastest lap of the race and is was within two seconds. Sergio Perez has called for Max Verstappen to speed up, while Carlos Sainz believed “Red Bull are trying for a one stop.” However, as Charles was catching the Mexican, Red Bull brought Sergio Perez in for his second stop: the Mexican came out in sixth, in a nice clear part of the track, about 10 seconds behind Lewis Hamilton, while the Monegasque driver stayed out at this stage.

Two drivers who were two-stopping were Carlos Sainz and George Russell, and the Mercedes driver served that five-second penalty: the Spaniard came out behind Norris in sixth but passed him immediately, while Russell was down to ninth thanks to that delay.

Ferrari told Charles Leclerc that they expected Sergio Perez to catch and pass him by the end of the race, but Lewis Hamilton gave a small helping hand to the Monegasque: Perez cruised up behind Hamilton and passes him, but the Brit uses DRS to retake the place on the next straight. That was similar to the reverse of this last year, when Perez held up Hamilton in the final race of the season. The Mexican learned his lesson and waited for the second DRS zone to put his move on Lewis Hamilton. He got past but probably lost a good couple of seconds there to Charles: the gap between them was nine seconds with 11 laps to go.

The gap between Charles and Sergio Perez was down to about 6.5s with six laps remaining. In the meanwhile, Carlos Sainz was making the most of his fresher tyres to reduce the gap to Lewis Hamilton, who also suffered a hydraulic issue and eventually had to retire the car, with the Spaniard back in fourth place.

Great tyre management from the Monegasque driver who was able to nurse his old tyres while at the same time keeping a safe gap to the Mexican and had a two-second lead over the Red Bull into the final lap, celebrating second place in Abu Dhabi after an amazing drive!

Charles Leclerc therefore defeats Sergio Perez in the battle for second place in the Drivers standings, while Scuderia Ferrari defends second place in the Constructors standings, achieving its target for this final race weekend of the 2022 Formula 1 season at Yas Marina.

The post Ferrari race report: Charles Leclerc P2, Carlos Sainz P4 | 2022 F1 Abu Dhabi GP appeared first on Scuderia Fans.